Jason Todd: Ally, Friend, Brother
by amazoness23
Summary: He was a hot-headed ally, but a completely loyal friend. He was the brother I never had, the one who tried to hit me with a wrench, the first person I sang to, and the family I couldn't save. Again. I wish I could thank you, so every year, I'll thank you by singing you your favorite lullaby. Because you became my little brother, and I became your big sister. Thank you, Jason.
1. A Second Chance

******So for all of you who don't know anything about Jason, watch Batman: Under the Red Hood. Trust me, it will help you understand the story better. A lot. So I highly recommend that you watch it before reading this fic, but if you already have, or you just don't want to, then happy reading!**

******This is also a side story to my Songbird Series, and I highly recommend you read it before this fic, but since this story takes place between the five-year gap, you also don't have to. If you do read it though, it will give you a better understanding of my OC in this story and the references that I make.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own DC Comics or anything related to DC Comics. I only own the characters that will extremely highly never become apart of the DC Universe. (This disclaimer is meant for all of the chapters in this fanfiction.)**

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**Gotham City, Crime Alley**

**April 27TH 2012 10:41 p.m.**

**Kitsune's Pov**

It was late April, but it was still chilly in Gotham. It had recently rained, making the air damp. The cool breeze warned for a Batman and I had stopped by a run-down café for a quick cup of warm coffee. We walked into the store, earning a bored look from the cashier. He stood up from his slumped seat behind the counter, or at least he looked like he tried to. His stance didn't seem to change.

I looked up at Batman and asked, "The usual?"

He gave an extremely curt nod, one that only those who were trained to be near-sighted would notice. Or someone who knew Batman as well as I did. I walked up to the cashier and said happily, "One large coffee, one milk, and a small coffee, triple-triple."

"You got it," he mumbled, yawning as he got up and waddled over to the coffee machine in the back. He didn't even react to my glowing eyes.

Bats stood still, waiting patiently. I wonder what was going through his mind. I couldn't read it though. First time I had tried, all I got was an image of Bruce standing in front of a mirror glaring at his reflection. I scowled at the memory, being the first time my psychic powers hadn't worked.

My right ear twitched suddenly. Other than the sound of Batman breathing steadily, and the coffee machine boiling, there was the sound of metal against metal. I snapped my head to my right, to see over my shoulder. Through the glass pane of the café door I could see the Bat Mobile sitting outside in the alleyway. On the right side of the Bat Mobile, there was a boy, probably only twelve years old. I turned around and gave Batman a look. _"There's a kid messing with the Bat Mobile. Should I sneak out back and surprise him?"_

Batman narrowed his eyes. _"I'll let you handle him then; I'll be out with our coffee."_

I smiled, before excusing myself and running behind the counter. The cashier didn't seem to care; he just glanced at me before looking down at coffee maker. I quickly run out the back doors and scale the building. Batman always reminded me about the grappling hook in my utility belt, but I always preferred climbing, unless it was an extremely tall building. Heights were never one of my strengths, and when I climb I always have to look up.

I jumped over to the building behind the kid, my landing quiet. I crouched low on top of the building and studied him. He had a wrench in his hand, where he was trying to remove the Bat Mobile's wheels rear right wheel. I jumped from the roof, landing in the shadows the building provided. He froze, stopping his cranking and turned slowly.

_He has a keen awareness of his surroundings. I don't even wear a cape and he probably heard me. That or he feels like someone is watching him, but that's probably just instinct._

He looked to his left back at the café. I followed his gaze and saw Batman watching the cashier pour the coffee into two cups, before adding condiments. I took advantage of this distraction and ran over to the building behind the Bat Mobile, standing in its shadow. He heard me run because he snapped his neck in my direction, searching for someone to jump him. I stepped closer to the edge of the shadows where I knew the light from the neon signs and the street lamps would catch my glowing eyes. His eyes found mine and I heard both of our breaths stop; his from fear and mine from surprise.

His shirt was stained with grease and sweat. His solid green eyes looked dull and drained, with dark, tired bags sagging under them. I was right about him being twelve years old. I had read his mind. Jason Todd, twelve, and both of his parents were dead. For a kid his age, I was surprised to see that he had managed to steal almost two of the four newly designed tires of the Bat Mobile though. He was stealing the tires to sell so that he could survive. He was just doing want any street orphan would do.

He's just another Gotham street kid risking it all for a tomorrow. There were so many times when I thought I wasn't gonna have a tomorrow, and when I wasn't going to be able to give Alexis one.

"Who's there?" he mumbled under his breath. His words came out sharp and tough, but there was the un-denying sound of fear tied into them. Connor and I had countless lessons with Canary and Batman on our super-hearing.

"_Batman, if you walk out now, we'll have him cornered." _I held his gaze, not blinking for long periods. I was making him clearly nervous under my stare, but it wasn't like I had used my Death Glare on him. I was always proud of that power, because even though it made people faint, Batman's glare was enough to instill the same fear into your head. I considered our glares on par._ "I'm on the opposite end of the alley, and the only places to get out are by turning around the building to your left or turn right from the corner behind the Bat Mobile."_

"_The café owner is almost done with our coffee, distract him for now," _Batman answered calmly, but I could tell there was a hint of impatience in his answer.

"_Already on it," _I said, my reply sounding distant.

I stepped out of the shadows, the boy shooting up from his crouch by the wheel quickly. I could see that he was about to run, but he held up the wrench in a defensive position. Right-handed, but there was something off about the way he held the wrench. He was going to throw it at me. He does a good job of hiding it though.

"You can put the wrench down," I said, loud enough for him to hear. I held my hands up and away from my utility belt. "If you tried to throw it at me, you'd probably miss."

His eyes widened, his nose flaring. "How would you know that? Who are you anyway?"

"I know that because I can see it in your stance and the way you hold the wrench. I'm Kitsune, one of Batman's partners. Trained to catch these things, you know?"

He grits his teeth, taking a step back. His arm twisted, ready to be thrown in my direction. He was planning on using the wrench to slow me down. I smirked at the thought. "_Bats, he's going to run."_

He whipped the wrench at me, but I measly sent it to building on my right. He didn't notice though, he was too busy running right into Batman. I walked up to the two of them, listening to Jason's frantic heartbeat and ragged breath.

"Un_real_," Batman said, shifting his gaze from the Bat Mobile, to the kid, before looking to me for an explanation. I quickly summed up what I gathered from Jason's head. Looking back down at Jason, he said, "Kitsune tells me that your name is Jason Peter Todd, and that you're an orphan."

He tensed, whipping his head around at me. He was glaring at me. "How do you know that?"

I telekinetically moved the wrench, sending it flying until it was right in front of me. I spun it around in the air a few times, before speeding it up until you could barely keep up. "Being psychic has its advantages."

He tried to run again, but Batman simply caught him by the shoulder. He looked up at Batman and asked, "I'm going to juve aren't I?"

There was something about that one question coming from him that struck a chord in both Batman and I. He was only twelve years old, parentless, homeless and stuck living in the streets of Gotham City; living in Crime Alley for goodness sakes. Then being sent to juvenile prison? This kid's life is just filled with bad luck.

"We'll see," Batman answered. Jason looked terrified of Batman.

"Well before you make your big decision, he's going to stay off the streets," I said, earning a look from Jason. I sent him a look saying that I wasn't finished talking. "It's not safe for him to live like this anymore. Besides, if we just leave him here, he'll probably go steal someone elses tires."

He balled his fists, his face purely angry at me. I only glared back. "I'm fine, I can take care of myself, and you don't have to treat me like—"

"You're right," Batman spoke up, breaking up our potential fight. He looked at me like I had done something wrong. "You'll stay at a friend's house until then, and Kitsune will walk you there."

I raised an eyebrow at Batman, not believing that he was actually making me walk. _"You're not joking are you? You actually want me to walk the kid all the way to my house?"_

"_I'll be waiting in the alleyway."_ Batman handed me my coffee, before walking off to put the tires back on the Bat Mobile.

Some punishment. But I knew that standing up for the kid was the right thing to do, even if Batman probably wanted to give him one of his 'lectures'. I signed, before pointing a thumb back at the café. "Do you want anything before we start walking?"

He just looked away from me, a scowl on his face. I rolled my eyes, after reading his mind. He was starving, but what he was really craving (his favourite food actually) a chili dog.

I laughed. "I know that you really want a chili dog right now, but it's almost midnight. I promise that the people you're staying with will take you out to get one tomorrow, sound good?"

He made a _pft_ sound, but gave me a side glance. "With extra chili?"

He was starting to talk to me, which means that he's starting to trust me and that I'm growing on him. I think that he's growing on me too. "With extra chili, just the way you like it."

We started to walk back, but I could tell that he was uncomfortable with my sai and my utility belt. He tried to fake his nervousness by bringing his hands behind his head and looking to his left. His eyes differed.

I stopped in front of Woodrow Street; the new house that I lived in was just down the street. My mom and I had moved here after she had recollected everything from our old house. She said that moving was good for us because the old house carried too many painful memories of our family. New house meant new memories of our family, starting with living without dad and Alexis.

We walked up to the house that didn't seem as dark and eerie as every other house in Gotham. I knocked on the door, noting how Jason continuously hid his emotions. I was the same, especially when I meeting strangers and people who I didn't trust.

Mrs. Henderson opened the door with a smile. "Kitsune, Gotham's Vixen, and who is this?"

I clasped my hands on Jason's shoulders and held him in front of me for Mrs. Henderson to see. "This is Jason Todd. Batman asked if you could watch him for a while until we can find a place for him to really settle."

Mrs. Henderson looked at me for a long time. She understood why Batman and I were asking her for this after we shared a brief telepathic conversation. She looked down at Jason and her face softened considerably. I haven't seen that look since she saw me at the hospital when she had woken up.

"Hi Jason, I'm Mrs. Henderson, but you can call me Mrs. H," she said, smiling at him. "Come on, I'll make you something to eat, and set up a room for you."

Before he stepped inside with her, he turned around and looked at me surprisingly. I smiled under my bandana. He wasn't sure if he should really go inside without me. Yep, he is so growing on me. _"It's okay. I'll see you tomorrow, promise."_

"_Promise," _he repeated slowly, adjusting to the odd feeling of my voice in his head.

Then the door was shut. I jumped over the railing of the stairway and walked into the alleyway by my house. Batman was already standing there in the shadows, just like I expected. His breathing pattern was always counted and precise, unlike most who just breath without a second thought.

"He's a really good kid, but I think his criminal life in Gotham at such a young age will affect him in the future," I commented. "He has potential. His street skills are because of that."

"He reminds you of yourself in a way." Batman paused, thinking briefly. "You're suggesting that he becomes Robin."

"I'm not suggesting anything," I said. "All I'm saying is that this might be a chance to prove that we've all moved on."

Batman didn't comment. He knew what I was implying, so there was no need to press the topic any further. Instead, he changed it. "I've already sent in the application form for the boarding school, and just in case, have set aside the registration form for the Wayne Foundation."

"Next year, you're planning on starting one for orphaned girls right?" I asked, remembering when Bruce had started the ones for boys. He was questioned by everyone about starting one for girls. Heck, even I was asked about my opinion of the idea.

"That's the plan," he answered. "I've already made sure that you'd be my partner in the charity campaign."

I smiled a full-out toothy one, one that I knew Batman could see through my bandana. Batman's lips curved on one side as well. The memory of him smirking will always be one to treasure. "I better get going, gotta make sure that my mom isn't having any trouble with the kid."

"Good night, Kitsune," Batman said.

"Night, Bats," I said. I jumped and caught the bottom of my fire escape. I swung myself up on to it. I didn't need to look down, but I did anyways only to find that Batman was still standing there for once.

I rolled my eyes and watched him disappear further down the alleyway. I had read his mind. He was thinking about why and when I had started to call him 'Bats'. I slid into my bedroom window, taking off my bandana and letting my powers shut off after a short, but eventful night of patrol.

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**Gotham City, Henderson Residence**

**April 27TH 2012 11:38 p.m.**

**Karie's Pov**

When I walked downstairs after a quick, hot shower, and changed into pajamas, I heard Jason laughing. It was a real laugh. I leaned against the door frame to our small cozy dining room. Jason was smiling up until he saw me. _He can't tell it's me, good._ "I was taking a shower upstairs, who's this mom?"

"This is Jason, Batman asked to take care of him until he can find him a place for him to settle," mom answered, leaning on the dining table. "Jason, this is my daughter, Karie. Karie, Jason."

"Hi," Jason mumbled. He was all washed up and in an old t-shirt and basketball shorts. There was a plate sitting in front of him with a half-eaten chili dog on it. I wonder when my mom had bought those when she was grocery shopping?

I smirked. "Hi. Chili dogs? I guess they must be really good if you're eating them this late."

He was trying not to crack a smile. "I haven't had a chili dog since forever." He took a large bite out of the chili dog, causing mom to laugh. "This chili dog tastes pretty good."

Up until just over midnight, the three of us just sat there talking and laughing. Jason fit right in; he always knew how to make you laugh and what to say. 'A smart-mouth,' Dick would probably call him. I know I still call Dick that.

We decided to call it a night after Jason started yawning. Mom asked me to tuck him in, while she washed the dishes. Jason didn't complain; he was too tired to. He quickly climbed/rolled into bed, quickly pulling the covers over him.

"I haven't slept in such a nice bed in forever," he said, sighing in relief. "Can you sing me a lullaby?"

I was taken aback by his question. Sing? I've never sang for anyone before. I didn't sing in general; I was always the one with the guitar. Alexis was always the one with the voice.

"Please?" I looked down at the tired green-eyed boy looking up at me with a charming smile.

I couldn't help but smile down at him. "What do you want me to sing?"

He shrugged, shifting under the covers. "My mom never sang any lullabies to me. Just sing me anything."

I nodded, wracking my brain for a song. I shouldn't have struggled to come up with a song, I wrote them all the time. I decided to sing a non-original song because I knew it was the perfect lullaby for Jason. Before I sang though, I told him, "I've never sang for anyone before, actually, I've never sang at all before. Consider yourself lucky."

Jason mumbled a slur of words, but I knew that he had heard me. I breathed as I started to sing softly. Just as I finished singing the verse, Jason was fighting off sleep, his eyes trying so hard to stay open.

"Lucky," he whispered, giving me one last smile when he finally gave into sleep.

I smiled, ruffling his hair a little before shutting off the lamp on the nightstand. I stood at the door way, smiling at him. He looked nothing like the nonchalant kid I had met in the alleyway. Instead, he reminded me so much of Alexis. _A second chance is what he is; a chance to move on. _I was so distracted by the thought that I didn't even realize that I had finally accomplished to read Batman's mind.

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**The song that Karie sung to Jason as a lullaby was Safe and Sound by Taylor Swift, of course, I do not own the song. I think that this song is the perfect lullaby for Jason though, besides, I have something planned with this song (it'll be really important later).**

**Hope you guys enjoyed my take of Jason being introduced. I really wished that he was introduced into the Young Justice universe, because after I watched Batman: Under the Red Hood, Jason became my second favorite Boy Wonder (behind Dick of course). I just feel as though he needed a flashback, even if he said one line. They did reference to him though; Dick said to Tim, "Just don't die, okay?" That was enough to make me tear up.**

**Review, follow and fav!**


	2. The Daily Life

**Gotham City, Henderson Residence**

**April 28TH 9:02 a.m.**

**Jason's Pov**

I woke up the next morning under warm covers. I immediately tensed and jumped, but I got caught in the covers and fell off the bed. Someone suddenly bursted into the room, slamming the door against the bookshelf beside it.

"Jason, are you alright?!" Her voice was frantic, but soothing to listen to. I heard her run over to my spot on the floor as she quickly scrambled to help me out of the covers.

When I was finally free, I realized that I knew the woman. I met her last night . Then it all came back to me; Batman and Kitsune (a girl hero that I've heard rumours about) had sent me here after they decided that I was not going to make it out on the streets any longer. At least it was better than juvenile prison; Batman didn't even ask where I had put his other wheels. But he was the world's greatest detective; he could figure it out.

Karie came running into my guest room, quickly kneeling in front of me. Her eyes looked me up and down with worry. "You okay? What happened?"

It felt different, knowing that there were people who cared for you and were actually worried about you. I've never had any of that before, but it felt good.

"I just fell outta bed, no biggie," I said, shrugging it off.

Both of them gave me a knowing look making them almost look like twins. I scratched my head awkwardly, not knowing what to do. Karie laughed, reaching over and ruffling my unruly bed hair. It was one of the first times someone's ever done that to me (the second actually, and Karie was the first too). The most surprising part; I didn't flinch and smiled instead.

"Breakfast is almost ready," laughed Mrs. H. She got up and pulled the covers back on to my bed, starting to make the bed. "Go wash up. Karie, could you go check on the egg and toast?"

"On it," Karie said, jumping up and disappearing down the hallway as quickly as she came into the room.

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**Gotham City, Henderson Residence**

**April 28TH 9:26 a.m.**

**Jason's Pov**

I haven't had such a full meal in forever. With a bunch of egg and toast in my mouth, I said, "This taste so good!" Holding on to the word 'so' for emphasis.

Karie rolled her eyes, while Mrs. H flipped a pancake over. I've always wanted to try one of those. "Eat up, there's plenty of food waiting to be cooked."

While I ate, there was a tune playing in my head. I couldn't figure out where I had heard until I looked at Karie munching on her buttered toast. She had sung it to me last night. She had such a soothing voice and the lullaby really did make me feel safe and sound for once.

"You should sing more," I said, drenching my first ever stack of pancakes in maple syrup. "I guess I'm pretty lucky to have been the first one to hear you sing."

"You sing?" Mrs. H asked, sliding a few pancakes on to Karie's plate from her frying pan.

Karie shrugged at her mom's question. "It was only a lullaby. It's not like it was anything special."

She was wrong about that though. I was lucky to have been the first one to hear her sing. I was lucky to be sitting here, warm and dry with a full stomach from an actual meal. Lucky seemed to be my word of the day.

"I liked it," I said, surprising the two Henderson's, even myself. I was usually never open with emotions, but they were so easy to trust, and their genuine care for me was amazing; they didn't even know me.

They both stared at me. Feeling embarrassed and frustrated at me attempt for a nice compliment, I dug into my first pancakes. They were delicious. I didn't show any emotions this time, thinking that it was useless like I've always had.

"Thanks, Jason. Really," Karie said. I looked up at her with wide eyes. She was being completely honest. "You know what? I'll sing you the lullaby again tonight. In fact, I promise to sing it to you every night from now on. Deal?"

I glanced at Mrs. H, wondering where the sudden seriousness came from. She shrugged, pouring herself some milk as she sat down to my right. She smiled though, raising her eyebrows implying 'You don't want to miss out on this deal of a life time'.

I sighed. Karie started to grin. "Deal."

She started smirking, when the phone suddenly started to ring. "I've got it." She was over by the phone in less than a second. She was speaking with her back to me, and speaking in a very suspicious 'hush-hush' voice. I raised an eyebrow just as I finished my pancakes. When she turned around she smiled. "Good, you're finished. Come on, we're going to pay a visit to a really good family friend of ours."

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**Gotham City, Gotham Heights**

**April 28TH 10:06 a.m.**

**Jason's Pov**

We'd been walking for a while, but the direction we were walking in was to a part of Gotham I never even knew existed. Yeah you could say I was on edge, being in a different part of Gotham without having to watch my back every few seconds. Karie just laughed every time I did though, always saying, "In this part of Gotham, you'd be pretty stupid to try to mug or jump someone."

Pft, as if. My regular scowl was on my face, while I looked at every blooming oak tree we passed. It was almost the end of April, which meant summer was coming soon, but that had to be better than trying to make it through winter. We turned left on the corner of a huge oak tree, when I finally saw it. It was a huge mansion, just sitting on top of hillside. I think I finally understood why this place was called Gotham Heights, because even from where we were standing, it was an awesome view.

"Jason, stop staring and hurry up, this gate will shut automatically in a few seconds."

I quickly broke from my trance, and ran past the huge black barred gates. Karie stopped me when I got to the other side, to stop me from running all the way into the woods on the other side. I was out of breath, having to push myself so suddenly. I looked back at the gates, noticing the huge gold W crest in the center of the gate. I wonder what it stood for?

"Save your energy, we still have to get up there," Karie said, pointing up at the mansion.

"How can anyone live up _there_, if you have to _walk_ all the way up _there_?" I asked, starting on the path to the mansion.

"That's easy," Karie said. She smiled at me as she said, "They're rich enough to own a car to drive themselves all the way up there. Oh, I mean, they're rich enough to own a car to have their _personal butler_ drive them all the way up there."

"Whatever," I said, returning to my scowling.

The hike was shorter than it looked, but surprisingly, I wasn't tired at all. I'll admit that I was sorta excited to see the big house up close, but what was really on my mind was how Karie and her mom ended up becoming _close_ family friends with people who live like this. The way everything looked from where I stand is a bit suspicious if I actually paid attention.

Karie walked up easily to the grand double doors that were the entrance into this place people call 'home'. I frowned at the word 'home'. Home is a place that will never come back to me; it's a word that people say everyday without even thinking about—

"Ah, Mistress Karie, so good to see you." The doors had opened and in the center behind them stood an old guy in a monkey suit. He bowed his head formally, before raising an eyebrow at me. "And who is this lad with you here?"

"This is Jason." Karie smiled, pushing me in front of her. She hissed, "Introduce yourself," in my ear. I looked back and glared at her, before trying to be as polite and well-mannered as I could.

"Um, yeah I'm Jason, it's nice to meet you sir..." Being polite and having manners were two things that I was completely new to, and so far, it is not my thing.

"Alfred," the butler said, his weird accent making him seem even more fancy and royal than he already looked. "Master Bruce is currently in his study. I assume that you are going to get him to eat breakfast?"

"Could you watch Jason for me? I'll explain the whole situation to you when I get Bruce down here," Karie said, running past Alfred and me, skipping up the huge staircase behind Alfred. When she reached the second floor, she grabbed a hold of the railing, leaning over and said, "Actually, maybe Jason could explain that part for you. Oh, and just don't give him any cookies while I'm gone, it's too early in the morning for cookies."

Then she was gone, running up the stairs on the right side of the second floor. Not a second past when Alfred suggested to show me a tour of the mansion or the 'manor' as he'd called it. The place was bigger on the inside than the outside. Just standing in one of the hallways there were like one-hundred doors on each side. Okay, so maybe one-hundred is too much, but for living in alleyways for so long, these doors were so much more compared to gray brick walls.

When we were heading to the guest room, I noticed a light moving in one of the rooms. I stopped quickly, seeing the light move again. I walked into the room slowly, leaning my head into the room in case there was someone in there. There was a crackle from inside the room and the light flickered again. There was a fireplace in the room, but this big old chair was in the way. I walked up to the chair, making sure there was no one in it. It was empty. I relaxed, my shoulders easily by my sides, instead of having them hunched like before. I put my left hand on the chair, feeling the cool red velvet of it. I took my hand off of it, looking at it. There was dust all over my hand. Weird. I would've thought Alfred would have noticed all of this dust.

I looked up above the fireplace at the huge painting hanging on the wall. It was a man and woman hugging each other. The man had black hair and blue eyes, while the woman had blonde hair and her eyes were closed. _I wonder who they are?_ I jumped, turning around with my arms up in front of me when I heard someone behind me.

"How'd you get into the house?"

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**Any guesses on who snuck up on Jason? I think it's pretty obvious, but I'd like to see who you guys guess it is.**

**Review, follow and fav!**


	3. The Pressure

**Gotham City, Gotham Heights**

**April 28TH 10:06 a.m.**

**Jason's Pov**

"How'd you get into the house?" he asked.

The guy who snuck up behind me was tall, but he looked like he was still a teenager. He had black hair that fell over his forehead, and striking, but easy-going blue eyes. He kinda looked like the guy in the painting behind me... but he was smirking at me like he knew my next move.

"I could ask you the same thing," I said, my voice trying to sound cold, mean, and scary.

It didn't even phase the guy. All he did was laugh at me. "If you did, then my answer would be that I live here, so what would yours be?"

Not good, he got me there. _Think Jason, think!_ "I came here with a friend. She said that she was very close family friends with you guys."

"She?" He didn't look that surprised, but I could see it in the way his eyebrows moved just a bit. I held back my proud smile. "Come on, I'll show you back to the guest room, Alfred probably knows that you've got lost anyways."

He slipped his hands into the pockets of his blue sweatpants, and walked down the hall on his right. I took a step after him, when I hesitated. My instincts were telling me to run the other direction and get out of this place, but I felt like I knew I could trust the guy. So far, everyone I've met since yesterday didn't seem so bad. Batman doesn't count, cause I think he's still out for me. _Great, he's probably already disappeared._ I ran out the room and turned right, bumping right into someone.

"I had a feeling you were going to run out like that," the blue-eyed teenager said. He patted me on the back. "Follow me."

The walk to the guest room was short; it was only a few rooms down. Alfred was already waiting for us, with a warm pot of tea still steaming on the coffee table between two couches.

"Ah, Master Dick, I see you've found our guest," Alfred said, when we arrived. "This is Mister Jason, Mistress Karie brought him here to see Master Bruce."

I looked at Alfred to 'Dick' as Alfred had called him. They looked like they were sharing a secret message just through staring at each other. Suddenly, Dick exclaimed, "I guess I'll stay to see how all of this plays out then."

I stiffly took a seat on one of the couches, my scowl reappearing. Dick took a seat beside me, falling into the extremely comfortable couch. _I've never heard of any rich guys in Gotham with a son._

There was an awkward silence while we waited for Karie to get this 'Bruce' guy down here. I was fidgeting constantly; staying still was never me anyways. The silence became even more awkward when Alfred left to get his freshly baked cookies. A few seconds after he left, I decided to say something.

"You know, you look a lot like the guy in the painting from before," I said, looking to my right, so that Dick couldn't see my face.

I heard him scoff. "Good looks run in the family."

I rolled my eyes, asking him a new question that came to mind. "So the guy in the painting, that's Bruce then?"

His amused smile changed quickly into a full-out hearty-laugh. I bit down on my cheek to stop myself from laughing. Instead, I shouted at him, not knowing how to get out of such an awkward situation. "What's so funny? If that guy isn't Bruce then just say so!"

"Ha, he isn't, Jay," laughed Mr. Smirk. "There's no way, I'd ever look like him, or want to look like him."

I crossed my arms, blowing my hair out of my face. "Pft. Then who is he? You don't just hang up random photos of people like that."

"You're right, you don't," he said, calming down. "The people in that painting you saw in the room I found you in earlier were my parents."

His parents? But wasn't Bruce his dad? "... I don't get it."

He scoffed at me. "I wouldn't expect you too. You're only twelve."

"I'm turning thirteen this year!" I corrected him, scowling at the ground.

He started to laugh again, but it was really starting to tick me off. I glared at him, looking him in the eyes for the first time since we sat down. He slowly tried to stop laughing as I glared at him. "Sorry, but you remind me of someone I use to know... She was always so confused cause she was so overwhelmed. We were thirteen around that time too."

"Use to know, huh?" I said. "What happened to her?"

"Long—"

"Ah, good to see that Mistress Karie is still able to get you out of your study, Master Bruce," Alfred said, interrupting my talk between Mr. Smirk beside me. He placed a tray of fresh cookies on the coffee table in front of us, before bowing his head.

Karie fell right into the grand sofa as casually as blue-eyes beside me had. Bruce on the other hand was more stiff when he sat down.

"So you must be Jason," he said first. "Batman's told me a lot about you."

_"Not good,"_ I thought, starting to feel nervous. I bit the inside of my cheek, trying to hide my nervousness. "Batman, huh?"

"He told me that he would've arrested you and sent you to juvenile prison if it weren't for his partner," he said.

"Partner? Fox girl, that crazy, protective psychic? I thought she was just some annoying sidekick who wouldn't leave the guy alone," I said, thinking back to yesterday night when I got caught by her and Batman. I grabbed one of the cookies to help me think, but when I took my first ever bite, all thoughts disappeared from my head.

Until Dick started to laugh uncontrollably. "Wouldn't leave the guy alone?"

I didn't see what was so funny, and neither did Karie. Bruce looked like he was trying not to let his mouth smile, while Alfred chuckled lightly.

"Moving back on topic," Bruce said sternly, eyeing Dick, before focusing back on me. He had blue eyes too, but they weren't as bright as Dick's. Maybe it was because his looked way older. "After stealing the tires off of the Bat Mobile, Batman proposed that you joined my foundation for orphaned boys, go to school, and end up _fixing _tires and cars instead of stealing them."

Go to school? Foster Care? Become a mechanic? "And what if I say no?"

"Then you'll end up on the streets of Gotham," Bruce said without skipping a beat. "Or you could get out of this place and beat this city."

Anything was better than the worst streets in Gotham. But I would be put into Foster Care? No way was any family gonna want me. And going back to school? I'd probably fail since I haven't been in school since third grade.

"You're only wasting your time," I said quietly, as I reached for another cookie.

"You have three months." I stopped eating and my eyes met Karie's hazel-brown ones. They looked so distant and kinda scary, but really sad. "Dick, Alfred and me have seen Bruce change a person in nine days. You have three months."

"She was really dense, and had a hard time learning, but when it came to actually using what she's been trying to learn, it was amazing," Dick said, leaning on his elbows as his messy black hair covered his eyes. "It was really amazing."

So it was a girl, huh? What did Bruce change in her in nine days? A better question would be _who is she_? I starting to wonder if she was around this mansion somewhere...?

"Jason." My green eyes met blue ones, but they were nothing compared to Dick's. They were really blue too, but not the bright sky-blue of Dick's. Maybe it was because he was so old. "It's time to decide; the streets, or beating this city?"

The pressure was on again, but isn't it always like that? Ugh, I hate it! This pressure with someone always breathing down your neck, but that's how it's always been on the streets. On the streets, I repeated to myself.

"Fine." I finished my second cookie, wishing that I had something to drink. "When do we start?"

"Tomorrow," Bruce said, standing up quickly. He put a hand on my shoulder pausing to say, "I'll see you here tomorrow, Jason."

He was gone as fast as he'd stood up. We all watched him head back to his study, but the moment he walked out of sight, Dick said, "So I'll see you later?"

My eyes flicked right to Karie, watching and waiting for her answer.

"Yeah," she replied.

They shared a weird look at each other, but I could only roll my eyes and think, _"Pft. Teenagers and this stupid boyfriend and girlfriend stuff."_

She glanced at the plate of cookies, then her eyes found their way to me. "I'll pack you a goodie bag, 'kay?"

When I looked back over to my left, Dick was already gone. I didn't even hear or see him walk out the room?! There's definitely something suspicious about these people.

I crossed my arms and looked the other way, my bottom lip sticking out more than my upper one. "They aren't that good."

"Sorry about _this_," Karie said, patting my shoulder. "We both know that he's completely lying though, right Alfred? I've never met anyone who's never liked Alfred's homemade cookies, and you're one of them."

I pushed her hand off my shoulder, trying to ignore the fact that she was right. "And how would you know if I liked it or not?"

There was a smug smile on Karie and Alfred the butler's face. I hated being the youngest and shortest person in the room.

"Mister Jason, you don't have to be psychic to know if a person likes my cookies or not," Alfred the butler spoke up, but the amusement he found in all of this was annoying. "I'll pack you the cookies to go."

Alfred scurried off with the plate of cookies, but I secretly suspected that he was just using that as an excuse to burst into a laughing wreck in the kitchen or something.

"Let it go, Jason. Alfred has a way with joking, so you'll get use to it eventually," laughed Karie.

"But my deal with that Bruce hasn't even started yet!" I retorted.

"Then you better savour your last few hours beforehand, cause the pressure is already on, Jason," Karie smiled, ruffling up my hair.

I bit the insides of my cheeks to stop myself from smiling. "What do you mean 'savour my last few hours'? I've got all the time in the world."

* * *

**Wayne Manor, Bat Cave**

**April 28TH 11:38 p.m.**

**Nightwing's Pov**

"You saw that hope in Bruce's eye." It was a statement, because I knew that Alfred, Kitsune and me had all seen it.

"I guess he really misses me being his patrol partner, huh?" I smiled easily, leaning against the Bat Computer. "That position's been open for four months now."

"What do you think of him so far?" Kitsune asked, brandishing her new sai and twirling them around in her hand like she was bored.

I chuckled at the memory of finding the kid lost in my private room. The memory brought back one that hurt to remember, but like always, it was inevitable. "Reminds me a lot of someone actually."

It's been two years, _two years_ since the incident, and the memory and all the feelings that came after it were still so fresh and strong. I'd known her for four months, dated her for one, and lost her in less than an hour. I still find it sadly funny when something or someone reminds everyone of her. Four months, but she had left the biggest hole in all of us.

"He's kinda our second chance," Kitsune breathed softly. She stopped spinning her sai and stared at the pair, then slide on of them back into its holster.

I thought back to my secret room hidden away in a deep part of the cave. Closing my eyes, I saw my old suit in its capsule, locked away beside two more capsules that also held suits in them. I never said they were mine though. Neither was the little capsule beside my Robin suit. Looks like it's finally time for someone else to don the suit.

He was going to be our second chance.

* * *

**I loved writing this chapter, especially when I got to write Alfred annoying Jason. What did you guys think of the little Nightwing's point of view at the end?**

**Review, follow and fav!**


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